Freedom and Human Rights in the UK

By O. Zabolotnyi

There is no written constitution in the United Kingdom. However, human

rights have long history in Britain. The principal documents are the Magna
Carta (1215) and the Bill of Rights (1689). With the development of
parliamentary democracy, the issue of an individual’s and community’s
rights became more and more important. The Magna Carta, for the first time
in history, limited the powers of a monarch towards the subjects. It set the
foundation for an individual’s rights development. Traditions of parliamentary
debate developed into the concept of balancing the rights and
responsibilities of a person, and a society. Three essential domains sustain
the British democratic way of life – freedom of speech, open and equal
treatment before the law, and free elections.

Left: King John “Lackland” is signing the Magna

Carta at Runnymede in 1215.

Freedom of speech is one of the oldest of

these rights. The major limitations of this
freedom are the laws on slander, including using
insulting language in public.

The freedom to demonstrate peacefully is

also respected. People enjoy the right to use the
“queen’s highway” (roads and streets) as long as
they don’t obstruct traffic. There are two
limitations on this right. One of them is that no
procession may come closer than 1 mile (1.6 km)
to the Houses of Parliament when Parliament is in
session. The police have power to change the route of a procession to
prevent disorder. At the same time the police are obliged to protect the
marchers against hostile counterdemonstrators (see the photo below).

Freedom of meeting and associations is another major human right

enjoyed in Britain. There
are no restrictions on this
freedom. The political
parties have never been
banned in the UK.

Open and Equal

Treatment Before
the Law
Citizen’s rights are the bulwark of civil liberties in the country. All persons
are presumed innocent until found guilty by a court.

Freedom and human Rights in the UK

Page2.

Suspects in a crime have the right to consult a

solicitor. Duty solicitors are always on call to freely
advise people who have been arrested. The police
cannot hold anyone in custody for more than 96 hours
in total without charge. It is also strictly forbidden to
use violence to obtain answers from suspects.
Compensation to victims of crime takes the form of
payments.

Right: A judge of a criminal court in full dress.

The possession of firearms is strictly controlled. The

maximum sentence for carrying firearms during the
commission of a crime is life imprisonment.

Departures from the norm

of having a very polite
and respectful police
force are connected with
the terrorist threat. For
years the British police
had been dealing with the
Irish terrorists, who have
been replaced by the
Islamic ones, especially
since September 11, 2000. The police have the power to stop anyone; search
and arrest that person on suspicion of being involved with terrorism (see
the photo above).

Religious tolerance was established during the 18th century, and all the
disabilities were removed except two: the monarch must be a Protestant
(being the head of the Church of England), and clergymen may not become
Members of Parliament. Nearly in every town in Britain you can find temples
belonging to different religions. Below left you can see a service in a
cathedral belonging to the Church of England, and below right – a new
London synagogue.
Freedom and Human Rights in the UK
Page 3.

Left: The Muslims are coming out of a modern

mosque in East London after a service.

Measures introduced since the 1970’s promote

equal opportunities for men and women. The
Race Relations Acts ban the racial
discrimination.

Elections
One of the most obvious aspects of British
democracy is that almost any citizen aged 18
or over has the right to vote in elections. Once
over 21, with a few exceptions, any British,
Commonwealth or Irish republic citizen can stand for election as a councilor
(member of local self-government) or an MP (Member of Parliament) in the
United Kingdom. However, most of the elected representatives belong to one
of the three major political parties – the Labour Party, the Conservative Party
and the Liberal Democrats. The people elect not only their members of
Parliament, but also their local councilors. Every part of the United Kingdom,
except England, has its own parliament called an Assembly. Such self-
government of the UK regions brings the making of important decisions that
influence the lives of the communities closer to the people.

Left: The new building of the Welsh

Assembly (called Senedd in Welsh) in
Cardiff.
The Palace of Westminster (see the photo below), which serves home
for the Houses of Parliament, has become a recognizable symbol of Great
Britain for a good reason. For the majority of people around the world Great
Britain has set an example of democracy and human rights.